German Town Overrun

In the most literal sense of the word. The village of Obereichstaett in Bavaria is once again facing the annual invasion. It happens every year about this time when the uncounted millions of feet march over the town. Fall is when the millipedes arrive. But they are finally fighting back.

Residents of a German village are celebrating victory over an unwelcome invader: thousands of millipedes which have turned their streets, gardens and homes into something from a horror film.

A foot-high wall, which will eventually encircle Obereichstaett in Bavaria, has finally stemmed the nightly flow of the crawling creatures, which have afflicted the village every autumn for hundreds of years.

Bernhard Koderer, 45, who lives with his wife and two children, said: "Last year was the worst so far. The road to my house was completely covered.

At times in the past, trains have not been able to run due to the coating of squished millipedes on the tracks. The new wall is only a foot or so high, but it's enough to stop the annual invasion. Now they just go around the village. Town residents and experts don't know where all the millipedes come from or where they are heading. Which is kind of silly. It should be obvious: they're on their way home from Oktoberfest. It just takes a long while for them to get their shoes on.